A visa is an official document that authorises the holder to enter, leave or stay in a foreign country.
There are different types of visas. International students will need a long-stay visa (VLS-TS étudiant) to attend their university course in France.
The visa application process can be stressful and we recommend you carefully follow the procedures and give yourself plenty of time to meet the deadlines.
There are different types of visas. International students will need a long-stay visa (VLS-TS étudiant) to attend their university course in France.
The visa application process can be stressful and we recommend you carefully follow the procedures and give yourself plenty of time to meet the deadlines.
- Initial Visa Request
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To make the initial visa request easier to manage, we have broken down the application process into 2 distinct phases.
- Phase 1: Université Côte d'Azur has made you an offer which you have accepted
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You need to gather information and start the visa application process.
The French Government's official visa website is the best place to start!
The students section has an extremely useful tool on the right-hand side of the page that will help you check the procedure to follow depending on where you are from.france-visas - Phase 2: You have arrived in France and started your course
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You have up to 3 months to validate your visa on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
You will need to provide a valid e-mail address, your visa number, your date of arrival, address in France and your card details for online payment.
We recommend you validate your visa at the earliest opportunity, in case of technical problems with the platform.
- Visa Renewal
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Your visa will be valid for a year.
If you wish to continue studying in France, you will have to start your visa renewal process 2 to 3 months before it expires.
This has to be done on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. - Staying after your studies
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The "Job search - Business creation" visa (visa Recherche d'emploi et création d'entreprise) is intended for students who recently graduated and wish to gain professional experience or set up a business in France.
The Préfecture des Alpes-Maritimes is in charge of Job Search visa applications. The procedure is not electronic yet so students have to download the form from the Préfecture's website.
There is no English version of the Préfecture's website but you can contact us in case you need help.
This residency permit is valid for a year and cannot be renewed.
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